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Alton ("Oz") Grobbel in the Philippine Islands

26 July 1945
—Luzon Island, Philippine Islands

"Oz" completed his basic training with Company B of the US Army's 151st Infantry Replacement Training Battalion at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. He was assigned to the 282nd Replacement Company which departed for the Pacific Theater on 13 June 1945. Following their arrival in Manila, Phillipine Islands on 11 July 1945, each morning the soldiers would fall-in and wait while the names were called out of those who would then board trucks that would take them to their new infantry units at the front lines. Day after day, Alton and his best buddy would return to their tent after watching their Replacement Company grow smaller and smaller. Eventually on July 26th, their two names were the only ones called. They tossed their gear into a jeep and were driven to their new outfit, the 207th Military Police Company.

His assignment with the 207th MP Company was to serve as one of the personal guards for General Walter Krueger, who was commander of the US Sixth Army that had invaded Luzon in January 1945. With Japan's surrender in September 1945, General Krueger, his guards and his entire Sixth Army took up occupation duty in Kyoto, Japan. On October 1,1945, "Oz" was promoted to Staff Sergeant and served as the Company Clerk. The accompanying photo showing him wearing the Sergeant Stripes and Sixth Army patch was probably taken in Kyoto shortly after his promotion. In 1946, "Oz" was assigned to the Headquarters Detachment of the 800th Military Police Battalion in Kyoto and on 17 September 1946 he began the trip to Fort Sheridan, Illinois and was officially separated from service on 15 Nov 1946.